I knew instantly what it was. Yup, things shook and I kept right on eating. The restaurant staff shrieked and ran out on the street. I attributed this reaction to not having experienced a quake before. I felt like a seasoned pro.

There was no damage and the shaking was over quickly. I had no hesitation about going back in the ocean for a third dive that day.

Things like tsunamis and catastrophic damage were far from my mind.

It later occurred to me that this part of the world was affected by the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami. Aceh, Indonesia was one of the hardest hit areas. It’s estimated more than half a million people in the country were displaced. Thousands died.

I’ll care a whole lot more next time the earth moves. Especially in that part of the world.